Pipe Discussion with a listener

Whatcha have? Whatcha know? Whatcha do?
Post Reply
User avatar
Kip
International Hillbilly
International Hillbilly
Posts: 3204
Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2014 10:18 pm
Location: Santiago, Dominican Republic
Contact:

Pipe Discussion with a listener

Post by Kip » Thu Jul 31, 2014 8:24 pm

I've been having a discussion about pipe tobacco with a listener via Facebook PM's. I thought I'd share the last bit of it here for any budding pipe smokers out there....

Listener:
I saw the post and am very interested in the results. At this point I am on the line of continuing with pipes... I enjoy the process and am not having any issues there, my issue is pipe tobacco. I have purchased a bunch of samplers but nothing has done it for me. The room aroma is nice but flavor wise I am not getting anything. As a fellow cigar smoker with similar tastes in cigars, is there anything you would recommend I try?

Me:
Try a few big, bold English/Balkan blends. GLPease "Abingdon" comes to mind. It's one of my favorites. Cornell & Diehl's "Star of the East" is similar, but maybe even more latakia-heavy. For more moderate english go with Dunhill's "Nightcap" or "My Mixture 965" - or from GLPease' lineup try Westminster (I personally love that one). For something a bit different, but in the same vein try MacBaren's "Vintage Syrian."

I never smoke the bulk blends that come out of jars in tobacconists' shops...for the very reasons your describing. They're typically mass-produced, and heavily topped with various flavorings. ***Even if the tobacconist calls it "their" blend, i guarantee you they're creating blends off existing mass market tobaccos from Lane, Stokkebye, etc.*** There are precious few actual in-house blenders left.

I don't personally care for aromatic blends. Many times (not all), they use inferior tobacco because they know the flavoring will cover it up. If you like sweet, nutty flavors try a burley blend (there are many out there, but quite frankly Prince Albert is a good representation of the style...go figure). Virginia blends, and variants like Virginia/Perique can be amazing, life-changing tobaccos, but if you haven't perfected your cadence will bite your tongue like a rabid badger.

It all depends on what you enjoy in a tobacco. Sweet, nutty, woodsy/campfire-ish, etc.

In general, I'm a huge fan of GLPease; I probably smoke more of his blends than any other single blender. I also enjoy Virginias from McClelland (they have their own style, and it's peculiar. their Virginias taste like they are topped, but it's derived from the method they use to age their blends before packaging). I like the Vintage Syrian I mentioned from MacBaren, but they are a Danish company who likes to put toppings on most of their blends. Except for that one, they usually bite me.

The problem most of the time is that tobacconists steer new smokers in the wrong direction. They sell them an inexpensive pipe and less-than-desirable bulk tobacco so they can "see if they like it." It sounds good, but that's a fire and gasoline mix. Pipes that are poorly drilled, and tobacco with too much PG (propylene glycol; used often to keep tobacco fresh on the shelf...often OVER-used in cheaper tobaccos to make them weigh more...you get less tobacco per pound, and they get more margin). Poorly drilled pipes and over-PG'ed tobacco creates too much moisture in the pipe, which creates steam when you smoke it...which bites your tongue. That makes people give it up before really knowing the potential they've missed.
There's pleasure to be had, but it takes a lot of tinkering and time. Most guys who stick with it long term really get into it hardcore.

PS - one other thing I'll mention. Mind your cadence. The rate you puff a pipe is much different than a cigar. It's a steep learning curve to be able to do both successfully, and there's no "magic formula" to do it. It just takes practice and a million relights before you get it right.
White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise....

User avatar
kurtdesign1
Not a potted meat guy...
Not a potted meat guy...
Posts: 2259
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2014 11:20 pm
Contact:

Re: Pipe Discussion with a listener

Post by kurtdesign1 » Fri Aug 01, 2014 8:40 am

This post is the perfect example of what gets me going (jokes: commence!). I have always said that my passion is passion. After taking in Kip's flowing words, all I want to do in life is relax with a bowl of something from Pease. Wow. Breathtaking stuff, Kip.

Post Reply